Window blind cleaning apparatus



R. 1.. COMET 3,149,663

WINDOW BLIND CLEANING APPARATUS Sept. 22, 1964 Filed Nov. 6, 1962 INVENTOR. QALDH L. COMET ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,149,663 WINDOW BLEND CLEANING APPARATUS Ralph L. Comet, Nutley, NJ. assignor to Mash-O-Matic, Inc., Paterson, Nl, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 235,777 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-11) This invention relates to the general field of cleaning and dusting means or apparatus and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains to means or apparatus for cleaning and dusting window blinds and other similar and related articles.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide window blind cleaning means which will clean, substantially simultaneously, both sides of a window blind as the same is drawn from or retracted on a window blind roller, the blind and roller being of conventional design.

Another object of this invention is to provide a posilively-operating window blind cleaning device for removing dust, dirt and other debris from the opposed sides of a window blind regardless of the angle of the withdrawal and retraction of the blind with respect to the longitudinal axis of its support roller.

A further object of this invention is to provide window cleaning means of the type generally referred to supra, which also serves as a stop means for preventing the blind from being completely wound about the roller as it is retracted thereon and to rotate with the roller until the retraction or winding spring has lost its effectiveness.

A still further object of this invention is to provide window blind cleaning means which may be readily installed in conventional window frames in which the usual blinds and rollers therefor are utilized without alteration of the frame or blind apparatus.

This invention contemplates, as another object thereof, the provision of a window blind cleaning means of the type generally referred to above, the means being noncomplex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, easily adaptable for installation, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from a consideration of 'the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of window blind cleaning means constructed in accordance with this in vention and depicting the same as installed in a conventional window frame;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of the means, partly in cross-section, FIGURE 2 being taken on the vertical plane of line 2--2 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a detail cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, FIGURE 3 being taken on the vertical plane of line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the relative positions of the component elements of the cleaning means as the blind is vertically raised and lowered;

FIGURE 4 is a detail cross-sectional view, partly in cross-section and similar to FIGURE 3, FIGURE 4 illustrating the relative positions of the component elements of this invention as the blind is raised or lowered at an angle other than a vertical straight angle; and

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view on a reduced scale of the component elements of this invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral designates, in general, a conventional window frame which includes the side frame members 12, 14 which are normally laterally-spaced, substantially parallel and confronting, one with respect to the other. The upper adjacent ends of the side frame members 12,

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14 are connected by the conventional header 16. In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in the several figures of the drawing, the side frame members 12, 14 and the header 16 have elongated, substantially rectangular configurations and the confronting planar surfaces 12', 14' are contained in spaced and parallel planes.

Reference numerals 18, 20 (see FIGURE 5) denote, in general, support means for the window blind roller 20 and for blind cleaning means 22, the support and cleaning means being constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. As is seen in the drawing, the support means is adapted for superimposition against the planar surfaces 12', 14' of the window frame members 12, 14 as an original installation or subsequent to the installation of the hardware normally utilized in supporting the usual blind roller 24, the latter having been now removed.

The support means 18, 20 are identically constructed with but one exception, and thus, a description of one may be considered as a description of the other, the exception being duly noted below.

Selecting the support means 20 for specific detailing, it is seen that the same comprises a central cylindrical body member 26 having a normally upright boss 28 integrallyformed therewith. The boss 28 is formed with an upright, elongated and substantially rectangular slot 30 that extends transverselytherethrough. The central body member 26 is also provided with a smooth bore 32 that extends transversely therethrough. The slot 30 and the bore 32 each receives screws 34, 36, respectively, or other fastening means therethrough by which the central body member 26 is fixedly secured to the side frame member 14, the screw 34 being first utilized to obtain vertical and horizontal adjustment of the supporting means 18, 20, relative to each other after which both screws 34, 36 are tightened.

As is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, the central cylindrical body member 26 is formed with a substantially rectangular slot 38 that extends transversely therethrough and which opens, at its outer end, into the upper peripheral edge 4% that normally faces the user of the window blind or shade 42 mounted in the conventional manner on the roller 24. The inner end of the slot 38 is in open communication with the upper end of a normally upright, substantially rectangular slot 44 which extends transversely through the cylindrical body member 26 and is centrally-located relative thereto.

The central cylindrical body member 26 of the support means 18 departs from the construction of the central cylindrical body member 26 of the support means 20 only in the substitution of a transversely-extending bore 46 (see FIGURE 5) for the slots 38, 44. This constitutes the sole exception between the construction of the support members 18, 20 to which reference has been made, supra. The slot 44 and the bore 46 receive therein the usual winding key 45 and roller pin 47, respectively, of the roller 24.

The central cylindrical body member 26 has integrallyf-ormed therewith adjacent the lower portion of its peripheral edge 46, a pair of downwardly-diverging, radiallyextending and substantially rectangular legs 48, 50. Each of the legs 48, 50 is identical in construction and include bifurcated lower ends 48, 50' giving rise to the side arms 52, 54.

Reference numerals 56, 58 designate a pair of identically-shaped levers having an elongated, substantially rectangular configuration, and each of the levers 56, 58 is constructed with an integrally-formed, longitudinally-extending, tongue 6% adjacent an end thereof, the tongue 66 being adapted to be received between the side arms 52, 54 and is pivotally connected thereto on pivot pins 62.

Each of the levers 56, 58 adjacent their respective lower areases free ends is provided with a ball-type releasable connector 64 to which further reference will be made infra. Suffice it to state, at this point, that the connector 64 on each lever 56, 58 is disposed in confronting relationship to each other.

The levers 56, 58 are each formed with a transverselyextending passage 66 adjacent their respective tongues 65) which receives therein terminal ends 68 of an elongated wire spring 70 under tension. Bias of the springs 70 is such as to constantly tend to urge the free ends of the levers 56, 58 for movement toward one another.

Reference numerals 72 connote a pair of elongated, substantially fiat rectangular wiping bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of series of longitudinally-spaced, transversely-extending openings 74 to form a purpose to be described below.

The openings 74 are substantially semi-spherical in configuration in order to receive the male connector elements 64.

Each of the bars 72 is formed of a substantially rigid plastic of any acceptable construction, but which, at the same time, will permit the bars 72 to be easily severed to accommodate windows of varying widths. In other words, if the bars 72 have an over-all length greater than the width of the window, the ends thereof may be readily severed by a conventional knife.

To the confronting faces of each of the bars '72 is secured an elongated, substantially rectangular pad 76, the connection between the pads 7 6 and their respective associated bars 72 being made by an adhesive or other types of conventional means. The pads 76 may be formed of felt, fibrous plastic materials, cloth, or of any other desirable materials.

The blind 42 is normally threaded between the two confronting pads 76, 76 and, in the usual manner, the lower free end of the blind 42 is reverted at 42' to encompass a rigid stay 78.

As has been stated above, the two levers 56, 58 are under spring tension, the bias being afforded by the spring 70 to constantly tend to cause the two levers 56, 58 to move toward one another. With the blind 42 threaded between the pads 76, 76, the latter releasably engage the opposite sides of the blind 42 as the same is withdrawn from the curtain rod 24 and returned thereon.

The ball-and-socket joints 64, '74 permit a slight amount of pivotal action toward one another so as to engage op posite sides of the blind and insure that any dust or dirt which accumulates on the blind 42 will be erased or removed therefrom.

Additionally, since the tension of the spring '79 is such as to cause the pads 76, 76 to move toward one another, it will be impossible for the stay 7 8 to pass therebetween, inadvertently, upon release of the stay and the raising of the blind 42. When worn, or upon debris accumulation, the pads 76, 76 may be removed and replaced.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a window blind roller-support means and blind-cleaning apparatus for windows having a pair of opposed side frame members, said support means and cleaning apparatus comprising a substantially cylindrical body fixedly secured on each of said opposed side frame members in confronting relation, means on each of said cylindrical members to receive the opposed ends of said roller support means and to support same for rotation thereon, each of said cylindrical members having a pair of downwardly-diverging, radially-extending and substantially rectangular legs, a lever for each of said legs, means pivotally connecting one of the ends of each lever with its associated leg, means connected intermediate the ends of each pair of levers constantly biasing said pairs of levers for movement toward one another, a cleaning bar extending between corresponding levers of each pair thereof, and ball-and-socket detachable connecting means for detachably connecting each of said bars with its corresponding pair of levers, said bars being engageable on opposite sides of a window blind as said blind is raised and lowered.

2. In the combination recited in claim 1, and flexible means releasably secured to each of said bars in confronting relationship relative to each other for engagement on opposite sides of said blind.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,429 Watkinson Dec. 22, 1908 2,354,832 Rustine Aug. 1, 1944 2,383,015 Pratt Aug. 21, 1945 2,541,448 Verzal Feb. 13, 1951 2,579,870 Schneider Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 313,769 Germany July 18, 1919 

1. IN COMBINATION, A WINDOW BLIND ROLLER-SUPPORT MEANS AND BLIND-CLEANING APPARATUS FOR WINDOWS HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND CLEANING APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL BODY FIXEDLY SECURED ON EACH OF SAID OPPOSED SIDE FRAME MEMBERS IN CONFRONTING RELATION, MEANS ON EACH OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS TO RECEIVE THE OPPOSED ENDS OF SAID ROLLER SUPPORT MEANS AND TO SUPPORT SAME FOR ROTATION THEREON, EACH OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS HAVING A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY-DIVERGING, RADIALLY-EXTENDING AND SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR LEGS, A LEVER FOR EACH OF SAID LEGS, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE OF THE ENDS OF EACH LEVER WITH ITS ASSOCIATED LEG, MEANS CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF EACH PAIR OF LEVERS CONSTANTLY BIASING SAID PAIRS OF LEVERS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, A CLEANING BAR EXTENDING BETWEEN CORRESPONDING LEVERS OF EACH PAIR THEREOF, AND BALL-AND-SOCKET DETACHABLE CONNECTING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING EACH OF SAID BARS WITH ITS CORRESPONDING PAIR OF LEVERS, SAID BARS BEING ENGAGEABLE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A WINDOW BLIND AS SAID BLIND IS RAISED AND LOWERED. 